Champions League preview: Chelsea v FC Copenhagen

Chelsea welcome FC Copenhagen in their Champions League round of 16 second-leg clash on Wednesday riding high after some strong recent form.

The Blues hold a 2-0 advantage from the first leg in Denmark, and are firm favourites to progress to the quarter-finals following their round of 16 exit at the hands of eventual champions Inter last year.

A Nicholas Anelka brace ensured Chelsea would enter the second leg in good shape, but Fernando Torres, who arrived under a media frenzy, is yet to score for his new side and will be itching to get his name on the scoresheet in the Champions League.

The Champions League trophy is priority number one at Stamford Bridge, with boss Carlo Ancelotti conceding the Premier League title following an abysmal turn of form from November.

Recent results however – including a 2-1 win over league leaders Manchester United – suggest Ancelotti may have been too hasty to write off their chances.

With that in mind, the Italian’s team selection for Wednesday’s game could be influenced by the prospect of Sunday’s crunch English Premier League clash with Manchester City at home.

Copenhagen will make the trip to London desperate to atone for their dismal showing in the first leg, but perhaps their lack of touch should not have been a surprise having not played a competitive game for 11 weeks with the Danish league on its winter break.

They will be aiming to become the first Scandinavian side to win a game in the Champions League knockout stage, but will have to do so without suspended Czech right-back Zdenek Pospech.

The Danish champions will have to make history to have any hope of progressing to the quarter-finals – having never before beating Chelsea.

And if that is not a daunting enough prospect for Stale Solbakken’s men, Chelsea have lost just one of their past 25 Champions League games at home.